Feliz Nuevo Ano

Feliz nuevo ano! Happy 2011! Hope it has started well.

Have you been thinking about the past year and the new year and figuring out your wishes, goals, dreams etc?

This past week in San Miguel, I've been trying lots of new things.  I've tried:

• a printing class, doing mono prints, metal etching, and lino cuts

• a Mexican cooking class
• started a drawing class and was so pleased with my very first drawing in charcoal
• went horse riding and galloped for the first time
• had my best massage ever with hot stones - to get over the galloping!!
• relaxed in hot springs

and this next week I'm looking forward to trying ceramic sculpture, continuing with my drawing and who knows what else!

It's made me think how I love doing new things, stretching myself and just giving things a try.  So I think a focus for me for 2011 is to be more experimental.  After all, I trained and worked as a research scientist before finding metal clay  - doing experiments every day, and loved the buzz of research. I thrived on the buzz of science and now look forward to finding the buzz of art in 2011.   Less focus on producing to sell, more focus on creating and exploring. Who knows where it'll lead.

What about you?  Having new thoughts and ideas as the new year begins? I'd love to hear what you are thinking.

More New Year traditions

Following on from yesterday's "eat 12 grapes with your champagne toast for good luck in the new year", you may have read as a comment on yesterday's blog, that my friend Lorena from Mexico added another local tradition for New Year so, along with hers, I thought I'd share a few more for you to consider!

The first involves underwear! The ritual is that underwear that is worn on the last night of the year must be new and given to you by someone else.  The color should be red to attract love and passion, and yellow to attract money and success.  You can indeed where both red and yellow underwear to attract it all!

And as Lorena mentioned as a comment on yesterday's blog, if you want to travel in the New Year, you should keep a couple of suitcases ready at the door of your house, stuffed with clothing. In the first few minutes of the year, take them out of your house and walk them as far as you can, to attract lots of trips in the new year.

Photo by malias

A couple more:

• eat at least a tablespoon on lentils to attract wealth and prosperity in every way, especially for a business; 
• with a broom, open the door and sweep out the bad vibes and let the good vibes come in; 
• have a lot of coins and money on hand that you can count when the clock strikes midnight which will bring you a lot of wealth.  Some place it in their shoe to bring more prosperity!

So what are you wishing for in the New Year?  Do you need to get someone to buy you some new underwear tomorrow or will you be packing your suitcase???

Whatever your hopes and dreams,  enjoy making them come true!

I posted my 365th blog post yesterday! Phew - a full year's worth! and two extra - this one and tomorrow's! Thanks for reading and sharing my year with me!

New Year Rituals

We've enjoyed learning about the New Year Rituals that go on in Mexico and hope to include some of them in our celebrations this year.

Our favorite one involves grapes - so is perfect for us with our vineyard.

The ritual is that when making a toast with champagne for the New Year, you should have 12 grapes for each person, one for each month in order to attract good vibes throughout the coming year.  With each strike of the clock on the final seconds of the year, you have to eat the grapes - one on each strike with the wish that your projects and hopes will come true.

The grapes can be presented as little bunches for each person, either green, purple or a mixture or you can put all 12 grapes on skewer and place that in the champagne glass ready, as shown in the above photo!

What New Year rituals do you like to participate in or what is traditional for your country?

Whatever you'll be doing - I hope you'll be sharing the time with special people in your life.

In terra pax...

My wishes go out to you all for a happy and healthy 2010. Enjoy your celebrations.

And as this necklace says - "In terra pax" - "On earth, peace."
The music is from Handel's Gloria.